Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1887-08-16

niiisoas Of Acres 0r>nsed to western Rail-
rosds Retursed &c the Public Domain.
The secretary Of the interior has revoked
she order Of withdrawal of indemnify lands
for the benefit Of the Atlantic X Pacific rail.
road company, and In . letter to the commits.
siouer Of the general land Office directed that
they be restored to settlement under the pre-
emption and homestead lava
In his letter to the commissioner Of the
general land office the secretary says:
+" The Atlantic 4 Pacific company proposed
to build . railroad from Springfield, Mo I:
thence TO the western boundary OF the state (;
thence 70 Q point on the Canadian river !;
thence to the town Of Albuquerque in New
Mexico; thence to the head waters Of the Col.
of latitude to the Colorado river; thence to the
Pacific ocean. The government was asked
to make grant Of land to aid in the construc-
tion OF this proposed road. This wss done In
most literal manner, but 1t Was provided
'that the said company shall com mence work
on said road within two years from the ap.
proval Of this act by the president, and shall
complete not lees than titty miles per year
after the second year, and shall construct,
equip furnish and complete the main line o {
Ammo Domini, ISIS
"Did the company comply with this clear
and specific contract? Did It commence the
construction Of its road In the two years
uouou luu IL ptOS<Cute INC WOrk n re-
quired' Did II complete its main line at the
time named In fact has IL yet completed
Its main line'
"lf ~ the time this company applied for its
grant 1t had stated its purpose Was to build
the proposed road, or 50 much OF It as 1t
fragments or to and from such points As
plea sed its management, and that the govern
meDt should Withdraw from entry and settle,
meut along its whole line oil the lar in both
ind NIT
lands IN y stats Of indefinite withdrawal to
wait the pie asure or conven ience of the com.
pany, is II believed for . moment that Con.
gress would have listened to the application
for Q grant:
"Yst this ia exactly what the company now
insists that Congress has done, with the
further assertion that though the company
may violate every specification of its contract
the govefnmen IL bound in eq uity not only
to carry out the contract on lts side, but to
guarantee . monopoly for an indefinite
period OF q vast part Of the public domain not
contemplated by the grant / do not %
understand either the law or the equity Of
the casa"
The secretary then directs that all lands
under Withdrawals heretofore made and held
for indemnity purposes under the grant to
the Atlantic 4 Pacific railroad com pany be
restored to the public domain and opened to
settlement under the general land laws,
except such lands a. may be covered by
| approved selections provided, the restoration
| shall not affect rights acquired within tbs
primary or granted limiIs OF any other
congressional grant,
tits stated that between o 900, 600 and
| 81, 600 600 acres are involved in this decision
| in the case Of the Atlantic Il Pacific mpapy
alone. The above order also applies to all
of the railroads named in the secretary q
rules Of May % last except the 81. Paul.
Minneapolis & Manitoba, the Hastings 4
Dakots, the St Paul Il Sioux City and ST.
Paul, and the Winona 4 st. Peter. These
are still under onsidoYstion and undecided.